(Greenfield, MA) After a shelter-in-place order was issued Friday afternoon at Northfield Elementary School, one man is facing charges and was arraigned in Greenfield District Court today. 46 year-old Theodore R. Sweeney Jr. of Millers Falls Road in Northfield pleaded not guilty to charges including threatening to commit a school shooting, two counts of threatening to commit a crime, and disturbing the peace.
Pioneer Valley Regional School District Superintendent Patricia Kinsella notified families and staff Friday afternoon of the “isolated safety incident” where “an individual called and made a threat against school officials over the phone.” Kinsella said “While there was a visible police presence during dismissal, at no time were students in danger.”
Northfield Police investigated the incident after Northfield Elementary staff alerted them of the threat. Sweeney was arrested Friday at his residence and held over the weekend on $300,000 cash bail.
After today’s arraignment, Sweeney is being held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing scheduled for Wednesday morning.